Novel Biomarkers for Coronary Restenosis Occurrence After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation in Patients With Diabetes Having Stable Coronary Artery Disease

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Blocking interleukin 15: a light at the end of the tunnel?

Role of anti-IL-15 in both treated and refractory coeliac diseas

Understanding Loss to Follow-Up in AMD Patients Receiving VEGF Inhibitor Therapy: Associated Factors and Underlying Reasons

Background: In patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), loss to follow-up (LTFU) leads to unplanned interruptions in therapy and the risk of visual loss. Methods: This retrospective and prospective case–control cohort study compared AMD patients with (LTFU YES) and without (LTFU NO) LTFU during anti-VEGF treatment over 12 years. LTFU was defined as missing any treatment or monitoring visits, or not scheduling follow-ups for six months. Results: Significant differences between LTFU NO (n = 298) and LTFU YES (n = 174) groups were age, treatment phase, baseline and final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), type of anti-VEGF drug, treatment switch, commuting distance, and escort during commuting. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the need for an escort during the commuting and treatment phase as the only significant difference. The four most common reasons for LTFU were general health worsening (21.8%), patient-missed appointments (16.7%), COVID-19-related issues (14.9%), and treatment dissatisfaction (8.6%). Conclusions: The factors associated with increased LTFU rates were older age, inactive treatment phase, lower baseline and final BCVA, bevacizumab treatment, monotherapy, longer travelling distance, and commuting with an escort. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the escort during the commuting and treatment phases was significant. These findings could direct research to explore social support in treatment adherence and highlight the importance of treatment phases in practice

The effects of body weight loss and gain on arterial hypertension control: an observational prospective study

Abstract Background Body weight changes are associated with significant variations in blood pressure (BP). Body mass modifications may, therefore, influence hypertension control in primary care. Methods Patients with a history of essential arterial hypertension were observed for 12 months. Anthropometric data and clinical BP were evaluated at the time of the recruitment and after 12 months of follow-up. The association between (body mass index) BMI change and BP control was analyzed by logistic regression. Results Sixteen thousand five hundred and sixty-four patients were recruited, while 13,631 patients (6336 men; 7295 women) finished the 1-year follow-up. In obese patients, a BMI decrease by at least 1 kg/m2 was negatively associated with uncontrolled hypertension at the end of the follow-up (men p < 0.0001, OR = 0.586, 0.481–0.713, women p < 0.001, OR = 0.732, 0.611–0.876). A similar association was observed in overweight patients (men p < 0.05, OR = 0. 804, 95% CI: 0.636–0.997, women p < 0.05, OR = 0.730, 95% CI: 0.568–0.937). A BMI increase of at least 1 kg/m2 was associated with a significantly higher odd of uncontrolled hypertension in obese (men p < 0.001, OR = 1.471, 1.087–1.991, women p < 0.001, OR = 1.422, 1.104–1.833) and overweight patients (men p < 0.0001, OR = 1.901, 95% CI: 1.463–2.470, women p < 0.0001, OR = 1.647, 95% CI: 1.304–2.080). Conclusions Weight loss is inversely associated and weight increase is positively associated with the probability of uncontrolled hypertension in obese and overweight hypertensives

Modulating Effects of Cholecalciferol Treatment on Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior of Adult Female Rats

Background: Vitamin D can be one of the candidate substances that are used as additional supplementation in the treatment of anxiety-related disorders in women with estrogen imbalance

Cryopreserved NK cells in the treatment of haematological malignancies: preclinical study

Leukaemia is an aggressive cancer of haematopoiesis. Despite increasing treatment success, the relapse rate is still high. Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in the immune response to malignancies; thus, it is conceivable that NK cell-based immunotherapy may control relapses, while extending the disease-free survival. In our study, we investigated whether cryopreserved NK cells are able to kill the leukaemic K562 cell line, the necessity of IL-2 co-application and the association of activation marker expression (NKp44, NKG2D and CD25) with cytotoxic potential

The Impact of Hyperglycemia on VEGF Secretion in Retinal Endothelial Cells

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is a serious sight-threatening complication which is manifested by excessive angiogenesis in diabetic patients

Endothelin-1 Gene Polymorphisms rs5370, rs1476046, and rs3087459 are not Associated with Diabetic Nephropathy in Caucasians with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major microvascular complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Several lines of evidence implicate the endothelin (ET) system in the pathophysiology of DN. The aim of the present study was to analyze if genetic polymorphisms of the ET-1 (EDN1) gene affect susceptibility to DN in Caucasians with T2DM